"STARFIELDS"

Michael Aubtin MadadiEngland

A low-spec machine from generations past gives birth to the end of a sad romance. This short fantasy story uses slow-paced conversation to create a heartbreaking, gentle, and mature tale. A man sits alone in a park, when a robot suddenly appears next to him. The awkward pair begin to have a clumsy conversation, though neither knows which one started it. And upon asking, "So, why did you go to Doctor Enwa's place?" The robot reveals its tale of a sad, midwinter night. That evening, the bot fell in love with a snowman, but it would be a short, fleeting romance. And he alone was responsible for the loss of his beloved. All he could do under the infinite, starry sky with the "hot" passion of his old-fashioned Braun tube was to eventually run idle. What will this warped, old-fashioned pair ultimately find in the age of hi-spec and the hyper positive?

First of all I would like to thank Kodansha for their commitment to such a great competition. I would also like to express how delighted I am to be awarded the second prize. When I think back now making this comic was one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done. I really mean that. And I think if you've asked me then, when I was working on it in the middle of the night, I'm sure I've have said the same. I feel very passionately for these two characters, and if just a bit of that comes across to the reader then I'm more than happy.

This is a work with a strong sense of individuality. Full of naunces, such as a cast of characters that leave you uncertain of their race or age, it causes one to think that no other person could have drawn this comic. While the story develops in a way that follows none of the rules established by prior manga, a sense of sadness and loneliness is present in the background, leaving the reader with a lasting but indescribable feeling. However, is the work a surreal piece. Or maybe it’s a story that deals with the many subtleties of daily life...? It is hard to tell how it should be read.We felt as though more readers might read this work if the author focused either on the absurd or on the ordinary.